CHC Continental, BW Premier Collection — Hotel in Venice

If I Could Give Less Than 1 Star, I Would - A Health Hazard Masked as a 4-Star Hotel

I wish I could rate this hotel lower than 1 star. My recent stay was, without exaggeration, one of the worst travel experiences I've ever had. My partner and I were deeply disappointed and disgusted by the lack of basic hygiene, care, and customer service provided. This establishment is marketed as a 4-star hotel, but in reality, it falls drastically short of that standard.

From the moment we checked in, we were hit with a foul, musty odor that only worsened as the days went on. We soon discovered the smell originated from the drains in our bathroom and noticed damp curtains doused in air freshener—presumably a quick fix to cover the stench. This nauseating smell permeated our room and, as we later discovered, other rooms as well. We could tell this was a known issue, as every room left open for housekeeping had the same foul odor seeping into the hallways. In addition to the foul stench, flies where also filing the bathroom, coming from the drains within the room.

Despite reporting this problem daily to the front desk and specifically asking for a room change, our concerns were practically ignored. Their so-called “solution”—having a technician plug the drains and run the extractor fan—was not only ineffective but insulting. The smell remained, and we were left to suffer through it for the entirety of our stay.

What’s even more alarming was witnessing a rat in the dining area, climbing on dining chairs and dining tables where breakfast was served the next morning. A clear hygiene hazard that was met with zero urgency from the hotel staff. The management’s response was to brush it off with a casual mention of "deratization controls," which supposedly returned a “negative result.” This is no comfort given that my partner and I, along with other guests, were exposed to this clear health risk.

The cherry on top of this miserable experience was the management’s apathetic response when we raised these issues after our stay. Their “compensation” offered was hotel points amounting to one free night—completely insufficient for the trauma and discomfort we endured. This place is not only a health hazard, but their customer service is blatantly dismissive and lacks any form of genuine care for guest well-being.

If you value cleanliness, customer service, and basic safety standards, avoid this hotel at all costs. I will never be returning and highly advise others to stay...

It's close to the train station and easy to get around. The downside is that the room smells too bad. I also felt the same way about the traveling family who shared a different room. I think it smells like a toilet. I told the staff that the room safe was broken, but they didn't fix it, and the hot water didn't work properly, so I couldn't even take a bath properly. It says it's a 4-star hotel, but I guess the rating is different in each country. The hotel location is good. But the smell and service are not good. 15th. DEC.2023 I will write an additional review after receiving a response from the hotel. They said they would make improvements after reading the review I wrote, but I felt that this hotel was aware of the bad smell in advance and only responded appropriately to customers who complained about the inconvenience. I spoke to the staff about the bad smell and was told that there was nothing more they could do since it was already past 9pm. At the same time, the employee asked back in English, "What DO YOU WANT?" as if he was annoyed and confident. I asked if I wanted to move rooms or take other action, but they said there was nothing they could do. They gave me their business card and told me to send an email here if there was any inconvenience, and that I couldn't even call them right now. Additionally, photos of the bad smell were uploaded, and the hotel responded accordingly. All I had to do was pour the chemicals into the drain and spray the air freshener into the bathroom. This employee also sprayed the air freshener a few more times because it smelled too bad. When I came all the way to Venice, Italy and had to smell this cheap air freshener and asked if the chemicals were ok for my 2 young children, they didn't answer and there was no answer. My family had to endure the last night of sleep after seeing air fresheners and chemicals go down the drain. After seeing the hotel's response that they were looking forward to visiting the hotel again, I am once again so angry that I am posting this. When I think about it, the broken safe I tied up seems to have been left as is. They said it on the first day, but they didn't fix it the next day. Through our stay at this hotel, our family learned that a hotel can treat and provide services to its guests in this way. So from now on, I think I will definitely read reviews and prepare before...

So we're visiting Italy/Venice in November when the weather is cooler. Venice was founded in 431 AD so you'll need to cut the hotels some slack as far as the plumbing. The plumbing works fine, toilets and showers aren't the worry, it's the design of the pipes that make your nose crinkle. We moved from our original room because of the smell. It's not the canal water, no matter what the front desk clerk tells you, it's the pipes. So after we moved we experienced the same problem and a maintenance man appeared with a crystal chemical that did the trick. Don't be afraid to speak up if you're not happy. This hotel showed us that they heard our complaint and fixed the problem. A bountiful breakfast comes with the room and is served in a pleasant salon or dine outside. Nice bar and restaurant are on premises. Obviously there's no parking. Besides you'll need to arrive at the train station and have the jaw dropping experience of seeing the canal for the first time. You can either join the multitudes of other travelers dragging their luggage behind them on their way to hotels or you can hire a cart. Venice only has one ramp that I am aware of and it's not along the bridge you're about to climb. I pack light ladies, (there are laundry services) my husband's motto is "you pack it you carry it." My case weighs between 10-13 lbs which allows room for souvenirs. Btw, haggle. Don't accept the first price they give you at the kyosk. This hotel is on the Grand Canal located in a convenient spot, pharmacy and small grocery store are a minutes walk, restaurants and shops line either side of the streets. Wear comfortable shoes. About finding your way back to the hotel after you head out in the morning...are you with friends or with your husband? If with your friend, good luck. If your husband is anything like mine he takes the return trip personal and thankfully he manages. I get lost in a paper sack, so worthless as a sidekick. When I tell you the streets are winding and incredibly picturesque I'm not lying, so it's easy to wonder and get all turned around. (Breadcrumbs won't help because there are hungry birds everywhere). On the other hand, get lost... Do wonder, stumble upon the most incredible sites, cross little bridges, pop into small shops, every single view is a masterpiece, say Ciao (hello) to store clerks/waiters say boungiorno (good morning), say mi sono perso (I...